Saturday, March 26, 2011

As a self-proclaimed bazaar stalker, I make sure that I visit all SuperSale bazaars since I’m a bit tired of buying clothes from retail stores. (I have this fear that I might bump into someone wearing the same outfit as mine whenever I wear retail-bought clothes for it happened thrice during my college days. But I still adore F21!)

Anyway, I was super excited when I found out that there will be another SuperSale Bazar this time at The Grove. I hurriedly blocked my last March weekend for it.

Finally, March 25! Good thing that I was able to offset this date. Nothing beats being among the first ones to check the bazaar. But I was quite disappointed when I didn’t see the stores I fell in love with. Where’s Renegade Folk? Ichigo? All those other stores that sell cute accessories and bags??? T.T

I was disappointed big time yesterday. Aside from the hot weather, I wasn’t able to buy a thing except for a polka dot top that I was quite hesitant to buy but bought it anyway since I wanted to buy something since I paid P100 for entrance.

I hope that SUPERSALE will have more stalls in May. I will be waiting. J

After my sister’s graduation, we had no fixed plans on where to go to celebrate. I wanted to go to SM because I needed to buy some things for my hermit crabs while my sister wanted to go to Shangri-La. In the end, we ended up at Powerplant, Rockwell. We celebrated my sister’s transition from a kid to a lady at Sumo Sam since the other restaurants were packed that day.

As usual, I ordered Salmon Sashimi and dalandan shake. I think I am starting to look like a salmon. (Remember Loopy of Nickelodeon?) My sister on the other hand ordered her usual Chicken Teriyaki and Japanese fried rice while California Maki and Beef Yakitori for my mom. My dad was missing in action because he was sick. L

My order arrived first (obviously). The salmon was very fresh and oh-so-soft. It was salmon heaven! If salmon is super cheap, I will order 10 plates of it! As for the dalandan, it was SUPER SWEET. I didn’t like it at all for it didn’t quench my thirst. I had to put 2 glasses of water to dilute the shake but I still failed.

My sister’s chicken teriyaki is okay. It is not something worth raving but it was pretty decent. Quite the ordinary chicken teriyaki you get from good Japanese restaurants. Let me emphasize it again… GOOD Japanese restaurants. This is to avoid getting confused with those restaurants pretending to be Japanese restaurants but serve questionable dishes.

My mom’s beef yakitori was good. It was a cheaper version of beef teppanyaki but the taste is almost the same. I didn’t like the California Maki. It has a weird after taste. I had a hard time eating it. >.<

For dessert, we had dulce de leche. It tasted like Vargas’ Brazo Bomb but its texture was harder and the whip cream was not as good as Vargas’. Nonetheless it was still a good dessert. Just make sure that you have a glass of water with you.

Verdict: Good food, reasonable prices, prompt service + free crepe if it's your birthday! I will definitely go back for more of its sashimi!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

I had another great lunch c/o Mansmith and Fielders. Not only did it feed my mind, it sure did the same for my mind.

We had another three-course meal for lunch. For starters, we had carrot soup (with shavings of crispy bacon).

The soup was creamy and the crispy bacon bits added texture. It does not taste like carrot though. Perhaps pumpkin?

Next served was Fillet of Parrot Fish with Parsley Potatoes , Baguio Beans and Ginger sauce. The whole dish is a bit bland for me thus I added pepper and salt to give it more taste… and it worked. With a bit of those two, the whole dish turned to be a lot tastier for me.

For dessert, we had Mango Mousse Cake with Pandan Caramel sauce. I find the sauce a bit too sweet but the cake needs it because the mousse cake lacked taste. I also noticed that the cake was a bit watery. I think it’s because of the jelly on top of the cake. My favorite part though was the chocolate garnish. It is just like the one they used for the cheesecake. It was really good. J

I was so excited to watch Red Riding Hood starring Amanda Seyfried. I love fairy tales with a twist (and this explains why I adore Shrek, Tangled, Robin Hood Men in Tights, Ever After, and much more). This one seems to be quite gory just like Snow White: A Tale of Terror. After much begging, my mom and sister finally decided to tag me along.

The first scene gave me an impression that it was going to be a gory movie since Valerie and Peter (Red Riding Hood and her love interest) were about to kill a poor fluffy bunny just for fun.

I started to get irritated with the movie though as the story gets weirder and weirder. I started to think that this was another lousy movie when a werewolf killed Lucy (Valerie’s apparently half sister). This already crossed Peter out as the werewolf since Valerie and Peter were busy snuggling when it happened. But the worst scene was when they used the lines from the fairy tale. It was a bit too cliché. Moreover, I find the storyline to be a bit predictable. I already knew who the “werewolf” was after the death of Adrian (Henry’s father).

It seemed to me that they tried to bank on the popularity of Twilight. I’m not so sure if they were successful there. If we base success on “sale”, then it definitely created a buzz and a lot were interested to watch it. But if success is based on satisfied customers, then I think they failed.

We love Japanese food and we looooove Japanese products thus when I saw Choco Crisps in a Japanese restaurant/store, I was thrilled. Well, to make the story short, I didn’t buy it because I find it overpriced at P245. Is it because it is in Powerplant? (Clue!!!)

Anyway, I decided to check the other products hoping for it to be “reasonably” priced. I was about to jump for joy when I saw Nissin Cup Noodles (the original one in Styrofoam containers) priced at P66. It is P95 in supermarkets and P92 in S&R so I thought that it was a pretty good deal.

But before buying food products, I often check the expiry date just to be sure and to my surprise, the cup noodles were already expired. Below was the flow of my conversation with the sales person in charge:

Me: Hey, the cup noodles are already expired!

Sales lady: That’s why it’s on sale.

Me: Don’t you think this is actually dangerous??? (Not to mention illegal?)

Sales lady: We checked with the manufacturer and they said that it’s still okay for consumption.

My question now is, what is the purpose of “BEST BEFORE DATE” then if it is actually flexible? I know that there is a rule that stores need to pull out near expiry products days before it actually expire because some consumers still do not have the habit of reading the expiry date. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL RISK OF FOOD POISONING. I do not find this okay at all. To my disappointment, I wasn’t even able to take a picture as “evidence”. I really loved the restaurant and now, I am not so sure if I want to go back. Since they openly sell EXPIRED products, there is a possibility that they use expired ingredients in the kitchen since “it’s okay”.

Friends, please make sure that you read the expiry date before purchasing. Yes, there are some very enticing deals here and there but also remember that there could be a “catch” on why it is being offered as such.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

I got an invite to attend the launch of Samsung’s latest line of air conditioners (let’s welcome Boracay and Maldives in our own homes) which was held at the posh Marriott Hotel. I was surprised that for a 5PM event, the waiting area in front of the ballroom was already filled with people. Some of them were from the provinces… all eager to know more about the latest innovations of the popular Korean electronics brand. Who says that one cannot have health, comfort, and savings at the same time? Clue? Virus Doctor.

Thanks to Samsung, we now have more options to choose from. But the cherry on top of the night was the great dinner they served. Let me enumerate what we ate and had difficulty burning throughout the night.

For appetizer, we had Seared Yellow Fin Tuna Nicoise with capers, red onion, black olives, and saffron aioli. Yes, I am a bit clueless to what the last one was. But it was good. I loved the tangy taste of the dressing. The tuna is also soft and fresh. I just find it to have too much pepper. But aside from that, I would have asked for another plate given the chance.

Next served was Lobster Bisque. This soup is drool worthy (okay, it might have been the least appetizing description). The soup was creamy. I find it a bit thick though and it made my throat itch. *Water Alert!* I think that this dish is best served with bread since the soup was a bit salty.

On to the main course, *tada!* Grilled Australian Ribeye with grilled tiger prawns, asparagus, potato dauphinoise and truffle sauce. The meat was tender and the potato dauphinoise was a good alternative to the typical mashed potato. Unfortunately, I finished the first two dishes and I was a bit too full when this was served. I managed to take a bite of everything though. The asparagus was steamed and it made the taste of the meat stand out. Same goes for the grilled tiger prawns. It was a bit bland and I think they did this to highlight the ribeye’s flavor.

Finally, dessert… Cappuccino Caramel Cheesecake with Mulberry Compote. I find the small chocolate chip a short trip to chocolate heaven. That thin sheet of dark chocolate was dessert nirvana.I am so in love with dark chocolate. *Ahem* Moving on. The sour taste of the strawberry complemented the sweet taste of the caramel. How I wish I saved more space for this delectable dessert.

Verdict: I will go back for more salad and desserts. Probably steak as well but I have to bring someone with me.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

I hardly visit Market! Market! because it is a bit far from my place and I find the mall to be crowded all the time. But my visit today made me realize that this mall in Taguig isn’t that bad after all.

It all started when I was trying to organize a laser tag event. I know that there is a laser tag arena in Market! Market thus when we were thinking of a place to play this really cool game (sorry, hooked to playing laser tag), I immediately thought of Market! Market! (especially since the other options are a bit too far—i.e. Ayala Town Center).

Since I wanted to make sure that the laser tag place where I played before is still there, I checked several sites (even to the point of texting the manager of the arena) and to my relief, LazerXtreme, Market! Market! is still very much alive. I found out other interesting things too. There are other activities to do in Market! Market! such as Camp Sandugo’s wall climbing, vertical bungee jumping (where you have to ring the bell), and food shopping.

Laser tag is so addicting. One game is not enough. At P190 per game, it may sound pricey but it is worth it. It is 20 minutes of sweaty fun! Okay, maybe it does not sound very attractive especially to girls but with a mere P190, you gain a unique experience + lesser calories and fats + new friends (or enemies). You also get a P20 discount if you play another game plus a glass of iced tea if you are the top player of the game. J

The inspiration... free iced tea

The gear

Camp Sandugo wall climbing is also a cheap way to kill time. At P50 for a single climb, you already get a belayer’s assistance. I think that this is a better deal compared to the unlimited climb at P140 without a belayer. You need to add P200 for belayer’s assistance. If you are the type who wants to make sure that everything will be fine, you could also rent climbing shoes at P50. Not sure how many times one can climb to make P340 worthwhile. Anyway, I opted to avail the single climb. I was super scared though because the last time I tried wall climbing was when I was still in high school (and please do not do the math) and the wall was way lower than Camp Sandugo’s. Nonetheless, reaching the top is one great accomplishment. J

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The WALL

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I am not very keen though with the food shopping part. True, I find the area well-organized with the delicacies of different regions on separate kiosks. But for some reason, this also seems like a tourist trap. The delicacies were OVERPRICED. My grandmother was craving for Mountain Maid (Good Shepherd’s) Ube Jam and since I love her oh so much and just can’t resist spoiling her that I bought a jar for P480. I know that it is around P200 at Baguio. True, there’s logistics and stuff but their markup is just too much.

I was lucky enough to go to Josiah Go’s Entrepreneurship Strategy and Innovation Bootcamp which was held at the Hotel Intercontinental. I was super excited to attend since this was an opportunity for me to learn more about entrepreneurship. The program was done in a very interactive way. Totally not boring yet packed with so much learning. I felt like I was in MarkProf bootcamp again. Anyway, I promised Joe that I will not write anything about the seminar (though I can’t help promote it) so I will write about our lunch.

We had a three-course meal for lunch (cream asparagus soup, lemon chicken, and mango cheesecake). I wasn’t able to take a picture of the soup since I was too hungry; and when they served it, my first instinct was to slurp every drop of it. >.< I do remember though that the soup was creamy but it did not taste like asparagus. It was a cream soup. But it was still good and it would have been better if they served it warmer.

My angry tummy calmed down after the soup so I managed to take a picture (sorry if I already took a bite) of the lemon chicken. I find it weird though why they called it as such since it didn’t have the tangy taste of lemon at all. It would pass as a chicken teriyaki… a big fat chicken teriyaki. The chicken was well cooked and very soft. It also has a bit of sweet taste (just like chicken teriyaki). Sorry, I was just not convinced.

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Lemon Chicken?

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The mango cheesecake on the other hand is a great way to please the tummy. The texture of the cheesecake was quite creamy and the crust was not thick and too sweet to overpower the actual cheesecake. (Am I making sense?) I find the mangoes too few though. I understand that the mango bits were intended to be garnish but the cheesecake tastes a lot better with the mango bits. Now I’m craving for Mango Bravo. (Connection?!)

Mango Cheesecake

Verdict: I will go back for more desserts. :) Even the thin strip of chocolate was good.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

I decided to buy MILO instead of my favorite #5 (Sweet N’ Creamy + extra sugar=Super Sweet N’ Creamy) a last night to get appease my angry tummy. Milo costs more than #5 (P12 versus P10) but since I am acidic (curse my “I want to be stick thin” days), I wanted to be on the safe side.

Our trusty vending machine

I jammed my crumply P20 bill and was expecting P8. But I was surprised when I got P11 change. WOW! Is our vending machine on sale? P9 Milo! Woohoo! I was tempted to buy another one to check if it was just an error but I was too thirsty to get another cup of Milo.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

It has been a while since I last watched a play. Thus when my friend invited me to watch RENT, I immediately said yes. What made it even more attractive was that tickets were on 50% discount. J

The venue (Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza) of the play was a bit small and I like it that way since it made it more intimate to some extent. Getting good seats (row C) also helped.

At first I was clueless to what the play was about since I did not bother checking the synopsis or whatnot. All I know was that Rent is a well-loved play and that I have no plans of missing it. AND I WAS SO SURPRISED. I would have never thought that the play is not suitable for children. I guess I was so used to watching fairy tale themed plays.

The first thing I noticed on stage was the POLE. I was wondering if it was part of the structure or if it was meant to be a dance pole. It was the latter. There were amazing performances from the Job Bautista who performed as Angel and Ciara Sotto as Mimi Marquez. It was also their performances (You Okay Honey? and Light my candle) that made me realize that this play is not child appropriate.

There were some scenes that I find hard to watch everyone since there were so many things happening. But I guess that makes it even more interesting and dynamic. I love the busy before Christmas market scene. For some reason, it convinced me that it was really snowing.

The performance of Carla Guevara-Laforteza (who played as Maureen) was really good and entertaining especially when she did Over the Moon and asked everyone to say moo~ with her “Moooooo. Moon. Get it?” It was really hilarious.

But the best part for me was when Angel died. As he was climbing the stairs following the light while his friends Mark, Roger, Mimi, and most especially Tom Collins were saying their last words for their dear friend, I had goosebumps. It was a very touching scene and I felt the sadness of the characters. It would have been nice though if they managed to make sure that the upper stage do not creak since Angel was supposed to be a soul seeking for the light.

Overall, the cast was really good. I overheard that some were theater newbies but I did not notice that at all. Good job the cast, Robbie Guevarra (stage director), Jojo Malferrari (musical director for band), Only Torres (musical director for vocals), Charles Stephen Thompson, Francis Matheu and Mara Andres (choreographers), Martin Esteva (lighting designer), Chuck Ledesma (sound designer), and Bek Soriano (costume stylist) for staging this great performance.

I will definitely look forward for the next play of 9 Works Theatrical. J

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Since my birthday fell on a weekend, I had a 2-day celebration. *Woohoo for my tummy but boohoo for my wallet.* On the last day of my 2-day celebration, my family and I decided to have dinner at Cravings at Shangri-la after “hunting” for a gown for my sister.

I usually order salmon but for some reason, I craved for roast beef on that day. Knowing that Cravings’ roast beef is good, I decided to order that (and I get to have Splurge on Salad for free). My sister and mom were not very hungry so they opted for club sandwich and triple cheese macaroni (and added Splurge on Salad).

I love Cravings’ salad bar. The macaroni salad is a guaranteed yummy and the veggies are always fresh. I noticed that they added nachos with salsa dip. As for the soup, it was supposed to be chicken soup but it tasted like chicken BROTH soup.

I was also disappointed with the roast beef. It was quite dry. At first I thought that it just needed more gravy but it did not help at all. The beef itself was dry. Good thing though that the mashed potato was good.

As for the club sandwich, it was quite savory. No wonder my sister is addicted to it. It is a bit hard to eat it since it is very uh… tall. But the tomato, bacon, and everything else added flavor to the sandwich which made it so good. The stick used to make the sandwich stay put was also very interesting. Normally, restaurants use toothpicks for that but Cravings use this edible thin stick (bread stick?) instead. I was so surprised when my sister munched on the stick.

We were not able to eat the triple cheese macaroni anymore since we “abused” the Splurge on Salad. But it looks and smells good. J

Verdict:

The menu has a combination of affordable and expensive dishes. It is best to order one main course to get the free Splurge on Salad than pay P290 for the eat all you can salad. The service was quite good and the ambiance is relaxing. My UA&P Alumni card is no longer valid though. So, good bye 10% discount. L

My first encounter with Yhansy was when I was conducting a survey for a shoe company. One of the girls I surveyed was carrying a Yhansy paper bag. I thought that it was a hat store since the girl bought a hat and I was clueless to what that store sells.

Since I frequent Schu and Una Rosa, I finally saw the cute sky-blue store. It sells something I have a weak spot on… bags. The bags though were very familiar. I saw the same bags when I visited Dongdaemun (and it was a lot cheaper as well). The accessories were a bit pricey for me but my visit today blew me away. But to backtrack a bit, let me share with you what made me go back to Yhansy:

I was forced to hunt for accessories (futuristic at that) for my sister’s grad ball. *Mental note: Futuristic not cute futuristiiiiiiic!*

I first went to Accessorize since it has a lot of accessories (thus the name). But I was not able to find anything futuristic. I was tempted to buy a necklace though but it was a bit expensive (since I need to save a lot for Cirque du Soleil). I then remembered Yhansy. *Off to the 5th Floor of Shangri-La*

The accessories were very affordable (almost within F21 price range) and it is quite evident that the quality is there. The products seem sturdy and are not those disposable necklaces, bracelets, etc. that last for only a day or two. So, instead of buying accessories for my sister, I also bought some for myself. I bought a long necklace, chunky necklace, and a bangle for myself while dangling earrings and bracelet for my sister.

I would like to highlight the bangle I bought for I find it really nice. Below is a picture of it. Purttty. J

The lock is quite unique. It is like a hardened belt. There are several other colors available (pink, red, grey) but white stood out for me.

I will definitely go back for more. I hope that the sale will last until next month. J

As an official Ortigas girl, I hardly explore Quezon City unless needed. Thus when we got an invite to go to Romulo Café for a real estate launch, we got lost. I noticed that the place is not very accessible to those who do not have their own cars. Located at the corner of Sct. Tuason and Sct. Dr. Lazcano streets, it is a labyrinth if you do not know your way around Quezon City.

After a few calls by our driver, we finally found the predominantly black and white café. It was no wonder that we didn’t notice the façade… the signage was small and the name was like a signature.

While waiting for the big bosses and Kuya Kim, the company’s endorser (àHINT), we munched on what Romulo Café called Pinoy Nachos. The nacho chips were thin slices of camote topped with tomatoes, onions and cheese (which tasted like Cheez Whiz). I was hesitant at first because camote and cheese combo is not my ideal snack. But my first bite was followed by another and another until I ate almost half of what’s on the plate (note that I was with other people). The camote does not have a strong taste but it still has that hint of sweet potato and the cheese, tomatoes and onions gave it a richer flavor.

Next served was the Smoked Bangus Pate with Pandesal Chips (topped with Hollandaise sauce). The Smoked Bangus Pate is a bit too oily and salty for me. I guess I need more pandesal chips for this dish. Nonetheless, it was very interesting. I would have appreciated the dish better if someone explained to us what we were eating. But since this is not an eating event, I understand why there were no descriptions or whatnot.

Last served was the Penne Carbonara with (grounded) Vigan Longganisa. We were too full already when this was served. (For some reason, we were so thirsty that day. I had 4 glasses of iced tea and to top it all off, we came from a presentation where we had stuffed crust pizza for lunch.) After getting tired of staring at Kuya Kim and taking stalkerish pictures of him, we decided to “attack” the pasta. The cream though has already settled and became rather lumpy. Also, I find the pasta a bit too creamy and oily. Not sure if I will order this again if ever I get the chance to visit this place.

The place is quite cozy and homey (probably because the structure looks like a home than a restaurant or café). The prices are also quite affordable. With P500, you could buy pasta, drink, and dessert, plus a generous tip to your server. :)

Thursday, March 3, 2011

My dad treated me to Fish & Co. as gift #1 for my birthday. It turned out that there was no gift #2. Good thing I chose Fish & Co.. At least I get to order my favorite salmon dish. UNFORTUNATELY, they ran out of salmon… and on my birthday. It seemed as if having my SIM card busted on my birthday is not enough.

Anyway, I decided to order Shrimps and Chicken Breast Al Pesto since it is a new item in the menu. I am a sucker of new items thus the reason why I buy new arrivals during sale.

Going back to my Shrimps and Chicken Breast Al Pesto, it was not a total disappointment though it did not level up to my one and only salmon. *sniff*

Shrimps and Chicken Al Pesto

The shrimps and chicken were a bit too grilled that it became too dry. It was a good thing that they serve sauces such as cream and garlic to improve the texture of the dishes.

The pasta though was good. It was creamy. It made me unsure if they intentionally grill the chicken and shrimps too much to compliment the creamy pasta. Well, I still didn’t like my shrimps and chicken too grilled.

Next time though, I will stick to my salmon dish.

Verdict:

Ambiance is quite cozy and homey (there’s TV). But the dishes are a bit… okay, are expensive. BUT, the nice thing about Fish & Co. is that you will leave the restaurant with a FULL and HAPPY tummy. :)

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

I would have never thought that the quaint café that I pass by every time I go to The Ramp serves good crepes. At first, I thought that it is just another crepe place pretending to sell crepes when in fact they are selling PANCAKES. Such is not true for La Creperie… I assure you. The crepes are just right and same goes for the price.

I ordered Bananas Foster since it was the only crepe I saw that is served with ice cream without being charged more. (Yes, I am addicted to ice cream and I am a cheapskate. A cheapskate ice cream addict.)

Bananas Foster--Yes, it is not photogenic. :(

My friends ordered Mango Hazelnut au Chocolat and La Christine (this was what I originally planned to order since it has strawberries!!!).

Mango Hazelnut au Chocolat

La Christine

My order looked rather… plain. It has quite a rich flavor though despite it being plain-looking. I just find the crepe a bit too soft. I was looking for a bit of crunch or bite factor. The bananas were also a bit too soft. It made me feel like a baby or an old lady eating pre-chewed bananas.

I guess you are now wondering why I said that this place is a good place to eat crepes. Well… throughout the night I was wishing I ordered either the Mango Hazelnut au Chocolat or the La Christine for both are quite good. The La Christine has a bit of sour taste from the strawberries but it helped balanced the sweetness of the crepe. The Mango Hazelnut au Chocolat on the other hand has that bit of crunch that I was looking for because of the bits of hazelnut.

Overall, the experience was quite pleasant. The ambiance was good given that the store is in Shangri-la (my favorite mall). Also, the price is not bad at all. For three crepes, we paid about P500. Some crepes I tried before cost around P300 and it is a pancake disguising itself as crepe.

I will definitely go back to La Creperie but this time I will order La Christine with an extra order of ice cream. :)

Who am I?

I'm your local foodie who goes crazy whenever I hear or read the words salmon, prosciutto, and foie gras. I drool every time I get a sniff of coffee and chocolates. And I'm at my happiest state when I get to bike around a park and be one with nature.
I'm a lover of food and travel. And one of the things I love to do most abroad is to visit supermarkets!
I love to explore the world, one bite at a time.
Get in touch with me at whatmaryloves.blog@gmail.com. :)